NAFA Committees

Government & Legal Affairs Committee

This committee meets on the third Wednesday of every month at 10 a.m. CST. View the committee’s 2025 priorities here. If you’re interested in joining, please contact Bailey Sorensen.

• Tyler Brown – CHAIR
  AVP and Head of Government Affairs 
  North American
• Gissou Gotlieb – VICE CHAIR
  Head of Accumulation & Retirement Income Compliance
  AmeriLife
• Jodi Ahlman
  SVP, General Counsel & Secretary
  F&G Annuities & Life
• Al Abaroa
  Managing Partner
  Kingsview Partners
• Cliff Andrews
  Principal
  CapCity Advocates
• Mark Banks
  Vice President of Compliance
  SILAC Insurance Company
• Brett Barratt
  AVP Government & Regulatory Affairs
  F&G
• Bryce Biklen
  Chief Distribution Officer
  North American
• Priscilla Brown
  General Counsel
  ARCUS
• Ryan Brown
  Head of Sales/General Counsel
  M&O Marketing
• David Burghard
  Vice President of Business Development
  Americo
• Mac Campbell
  SVP-Division Sales Manager
  Athene
• Ernest C’Debaca
  General Counsel & COO
  Magellan
• Jamie Casto
  AVP, Associate General Counsel
  Nationwide
• Chris Conroy
  Executive VP & Principal
  Insurance Agency Marketing Services, Inc.
• Ria Cruz
  VP,Compliance and Suitability
  Magellan
• Joy Dawe
  VP, Market Conduct, Crump Life Insurance Services
  Crump
• Steve Delaney
  Principal
  American Brokerage Services
• Andries Dupreez
  Sr. Consultant Annuity Product Development
  Lincoln Financial
• Chris Eaken
  VP of Compliance and Administration
  Legacy Marketing Group
• Mary Fowser
  Sr. Compliance Analyst
  Brokers International
• Roman Gabriel
  Sr. VP, Head of Gov’t Affairs
  Lincoln Financial
•  Shawn Gallagher
  Head of Federal Government Affairs
  Corebridge Financial
• Jason Gould
  Of Counsel
  Carlton Fields
• Michelle Gordon
  COO
  Axonic Insurance
• Patrick Gray
  VP Business Development
  Employee Pooling
• John Gruber
  Senior VP
  MassMutual Ascend Life Insurance
• Cyndi Hall
  VP, Chief Compliance Officer
  North American
• Matt Hargrafen
  Assistant General Counsel
  Talcott Financial Group
• Angela Hollan
  VP, Head of Government Affairs
  Allianz
• Julia Holloway
  VP Marketing and Channel Solutions
  Delaware Life
• James Huang
  Second VP & Associate Counsel
  The Standard
• Heather Kane
  Vice President of Sales & Marketing
  EquiTrust
• Ted Kennedy
  Head State Government Affairs
  Corebridge Financial
• Will Kennedy
  Vice President – Corporate Counsel
  National Western Life
• Jamie Kosharek
  MD, head of Independent Channel
  Global Atlantic
• Emily Kresowik
  Asst, General Counsel
  EquiTrust
• Tim Krupa
  Compliance Project Manager
  Corebridge Financial
• Maia Leeds
  Regulatory & Government Affairs
  Global Atlantic Financial Group
• Tony Lengeling
  VP & Chief Compliance Officer
  American Equity
• Ryan Lex
  Head of Retail Distribution
  Talcott Financial Group
• Adam Linkner
  General Counsel
  Signal Advisors
• Blake Major
  Senior Government Relations Partner
  American Equity
• Jared Margolies
  Dir. of Compliance
  Simplicity Group Holdings
• Eric Marhoun
  VP, Senior Counsel
  Nassau Financial Group
• Paul McGillivray
  Business Development Director
  M&O Marketing
• Shannon McGinnis
  Director of Compliance
  Triad Partners
• Kevin Mechtley
  VP-Business Development and Chief Innovation Officer
  North American
• Bill Mescher
  Legal Counsel, Legal and Compliance
  Athene
• Gina Miller
  Vice President, Corporate Counsel
  National Western Life Insurance Co.
• Dave Milligan
  Sr. Compliance Manager
  Athene
• Regina Molloy
  Vice President, Assistant General Counsel
  Global Atlantic Financial Group
• Joseph Nowak
  Senior Director of Advocacy & Public Policy
  Nationwide
• Marek Olearnik
  AVP, Sr. Counsel, Operations
  F&G Annuities & Life
• Christina Parker
  General Counsel
  Simplicity Group Holdings
• Andrew Payne
  VP & General Counsel
  CreativeOne
• Alana Petty
  Compliance Manager
  Corebridge Financial
• David Rauch
  President & General Counsel
  Annexus Management Company
• Jennifer Relien
  VP & Deputy General Counsel
  Corebridge Financial
• Nigel Riggins
  Senior Counsel
  SILAC Insurance Company
• Rocky Robbins
  Chief Compliance Officer & Corporate Counsel
  Brokers International
• Isaac Russell
  Government Relations Director
  Allianz
• Lauren Scott
  Sr. VP and Head of Regulatory & Government Affairs
  Global Atlantic
• Tab Shanafelt
  Executive Vice President & Senior Adviser
  ARCUS
• Gary Sorensen
  Director, Marketing and Sales
  CL Life and Annuity
• Eric Stanley
  Head of Compliance, Retail Distribution
  Talcott Financial Group
• Lee Stiegemeier
  Co-Founder/Chief Verbal Artist
  CircleSideways
• Casey Theisen
  FMO and Life Platform Manager 
  Allianz
• Derrick Vermillion
  Chief Compliance Officer
  Impact Partnership
• Sam Ward
  Government Affairs Manager
  North American
• Brian Williams
  Co-Chief Executive Officer
  Financial Independence Group
• Dave Wolfe
  General Counsel
  Advisors Excel
• Ashley Zeller
  Chief Compliance Officer
  American Life

Membership Committee

This committee meets on the third Thursday of every month at 2 p.m. CST. View the committee’s 2025 priorities here. If you’re interested in joining, please contact Bailey Sorensen.

• Tom Bumbolow – CHAIR
  Head of Distribution & Business Development
  American Life & Security Corp.
• Chris Coyne – VICE CHAIR
  VP, Global Markets Division
  Goldman Sachs & Co.
• Al Abaroa
  Managing Partner
  Kingsview Partners
• Chris Bailey
  Vice President – BGA Annuity Distribution
  Nationwide
• Gary Baker
  COO, President
  CANNEX
• Beau Blanchard
  National Sales Manager
  North American
• Jay Brown
  VP, Relationship Management
  Delaware Life Marketing
• Tony Compton
  President of Annuity Marketing
  Advisors Excel
• Emily Cramer
  Vice President, Business Development
  Simplicity Group
• Jill Esser
  Chief Actuary
  Magellan Financial
• Paul Garofoli
  Regional Vice President
  The Standard
• Josh Giesemann
  National Account Manager
  American Equity
• Wes Gilbreath
  Chief Financial Officer
  Annexus
• Lauren Gill
  Sales & Marketing Specialist
  Cannex
• Kim Humbert
  VP Business Development – IMO
  W&S Financial Group Distributors
• Brendon Kelly
  SVP, Retirement
  Ash Brokerage
• Paul Kruth
  VP and National Sales Manager
  W&S Financial Group Distributors
• Steven Lacher
  President
  Employee Pooling
• Dennis Mattern
  VP – Market Development
  CreativeOne
• Kevin Mechtley
  VP-Business Development and Chief Innovation Officer
  North American
• Jeff Miller
  Internet Marketing, Business Development
  Unshackled Management Group
• James Morris
  Compliance Director – Producer Activities
  TruChoice
• Stephen Pandullo
  VP of Relationship Management
  Athene
• Pratik Pareek
  Global Markets Division
  Goldman Sachs
• Michael Robinson
  Business Development Consultant
  Synchronize
• Jeremy Rubin
  Regional Vice President
  Athene
• Lori Seaton
  Director, Strategic Business Development
  North American
• Tiya Stanley
  VP of National Accounts
  F&G
• Mackenzi Swenson
  Sales & Marketing Development Manager
  EquiTrust

Education Committee

This committee meets on the last Thursday of every month at 2 p.m. CST. View the committee’s 2024 priorities here. If you’re interested in joining, please contact Bailey Sorensen.

• Chris Fuhrer – CHAIR
  Vice President, Strategic Distribution Division
  Unkefer & Associates
• Patti Hausherr – VICE CHAIR
  VP Sales Strategy Leader
  Athene
• Al Abaroa
  Managing Partner
  Kings View Partners
• Amanda Adams
  VP of Annuity Sales
  Tarkenton Financial
• Bushra Ashraf
  Quantitative Research
  CANNEX
• Jeff Barnes
  National Accounts Senior Manager
  EquiTrust
• Ken Birk 
  Product Pricing & Development
  American Life
• Jay Brown
  VP, Relationship Management
  Delaware Life Marketing
• Phillip Brzenk 
  Global Head of Multi-Asset Indices
  S&P Dow Jones Indices
• Dan Buerman
  Director, Product & Distribution,
  Delaware Life Marketing
• Tom Bumbolow
  Head of Distribution & Business Development
  American Life
• Patricia Carreiro 
  Shareholder
  Carlton Fields
• Kimberly Davis 
  Sr. Operations & Sales Specialist
  Delaware Life Marketing
• Jack Delsing
  Sales Manager, IMO Channel – Annuities
  Securian Financial Group, Inc.
• Anna Dickson
  Co–Founder
  Circle Sideways
• Austin Eller
  Regional Sales Director
  North American
• Kyle Elliott
  Senior Strategic Account Manager
  Invesco
• Jill Esser
  Chief Actuary
  Magellan Financial
• Carrie Freeburg
  SVP of Product & Marketing
  SILAC
• Christine Grines
  Senior National Accounts Manager, IMO Channel
  Delaware Life Marketing
• Alan Grissom
  Industry Consultant
  Grissom Enterprises
• Maureen James
  Co–Owner
  Summit Compliance Group
• Matt Johnson
  Product & Distribution Strategy
  American Equity
• Bill Kauffman
  Vice President, Financial Solutions
  Senior Market Sales, Inc
• Tom Kostek
  Manager, Business Development & Internal Marketing Operations
  American Equity
• Joshua Levine
  Director, Equity Derivatives & Insurance Solutions
  BofA Securities, Inc.
• Jeffrey Maldonado
  Senior Director, Public Relations & Content Strategy
  AmeriLife
• Jeff Maxey
  Senior VP, Director of Sales
  InsurMark
• Shannon McGinnis
  Director of Compliance
  Triad Partners
• Branislav Nikolic
  Managing Director, head of Insurance
  The Index Standard
• Pratik Pareek
  Managing Director
  Goldman, Sachs & Co.
• Ann Raible
  AVP, Annuity Alternative Distribution
  Nationwide
• Adam Rivituso 
  Director, Third Party Consultants
  Invesco
• Vanessa Schmidt
  VP, National Accounts, Independent Channel
  Global Atlantic
• Heather Schreiber
  Founder
  HLS Retirement Consulting, LLC
• Mark Schubert
  Chief Sales Officer
  Highland Capital Brokerage
• Lori Seaton
  Dir. of Strategy & Business Development
  North American
• David Snyder
  National Sales Manager
  SuccessCE
• Lee Stiegemeier
  Co–Founder
  Circle Sideways
• Kelsey Stokes
  Sales Head, Insurance
  S&P Dow Jones Indices
• Eric Taylor
  SVP, Distribution – Independent Annuities
  CoreBridge
• Tamiko Toland
  CEO
  Income Path